Plants of the Week

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E.g., 21/12/2024
E.g., 21/12/2024

Mimetes pauciflorus

Mimetes pauciflorus
Common names: three-flowered pagoda, Outeniqua pagoda (Eng.); Outeniekwastompie (Afr.)
Family: Proteaceae

Mimetes pauciflorus has dense, narrow, cylindrical, orange-yellow flower heads at the tips of tall stems in spring. It grows in moist sandstone fynbos...

21 / 10 / 2024 | Anele Tsotso | Kirstenbosch NBG
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Chaetachme aristata

Chaetachme aristata
Common names: thorny elm (Eng.); doringolm, basterwitpeer (Afr.); mula-nguluvhe, muthavhalunzhi (Tshivenda); umbhangbangwe, umkaboti (isiZulu); umkaboti, umkhovothi
Family: Cannabaceae

Chaetachme aristata is a fascinating tree species, commonly found across the eastern regions of southern Africa and in tropical Africa and Madagascar....

28 / 10 / 2024 | Gugu Mkhabela | Pretoria NBG
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Ruellia patula

Ruellia patula
Common names: white veld violet (Eng); witveldviooltjie (Afr.)
Family: Acanthaceae

A small attractive spreading perennial with stems up to 500 mm long, and white to mauve or purple funnel-shaped flowers in summer. It is easy to grow,...

28 / 10 / 2024 | Thembuluwo Maduwa | Thohoyandou NBG
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Aloestrela suzannae

Aloestrela suzannae in the Pretoria NBG
Common names: Malagasy tree aloe, Suzanna’s aloe (Eng.); vaho, vahona, vahondrano (Malagasy)
Family: Asphodelaceae

Aloestrela suzannae, is a rare and attractive species from Madagascar, that fascinates botanists and plant enthusiasts alike with its striking foliage,...

04 / 11 / 2024 | Philisiwe Nonhlanhla Biyela | Pretoria NBG
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Watsonia strubeniae

Watsonia strubeniae
Common names: Sabie watsonia Graskop watsonia, Struben’s watsonia (Eng.) Graskopse-kanolpypie (Afr.)
Family: Iridaceae

Watsonia strubeniae is a charming grassland geophyte endemic to Mpumalanga, known for its tall spikes of pale pink autumn flowers, and it thrives in sunny,...

04 / 11 / 2024 | Pfuluwani Ndou | Lowveld NBG
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Stenoglottis longifolia

Stenoglottis longifolia growing on its preferred rocky substrate
Common names: long-leaved stenoglottis
Family: Orchidaceae

The long-leaved stenoglottis is an attractive, relatively easy-to-grow orchid that charms with its graceful spikes of lilac to mauve flowers. It naturally...

11 / 11 / 2024 | Natasha Lombard | National Herbarium Pretoria
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Erica blandfordia

Erica blandfordia
Common names: yellow wax heath (Eng.); geelwasheide (Afr.)
Family: Ericaceae

Erica blandfordia gives a show of bright yellow flowers in spring and early summer....

11 / 11 / 2024 | Benjamin Festus | Kirstenbosch NBG
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Brunsvigia pulchra

Brunsvigia pulchra
Common names: Namaqualand tulip, torch candelabra (Eng.)
Family: Amaryllidaceae

Brunsvigia pulchra is a rarer member of the genus, restricted to the more arid, semi-desert region of Namaqualand. There is a striking contrast between...

18 / 11 / 2024 | Gianpaolo Gilardi | Kirstenbosch NBG
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Searsia gerrardii

Searsia gerrardii red leaves in autumn
Common names: river karee, river currant (Eng.), riviertaaibos (Afr.), inhlokoshiyane, umhlakaza (isiZulu)
Family: Anacardiaceae

Searsia gerrardii is a shrub-like tree with a graceful, weeping habit, striking reddish bark and noticeable orange lenticels (raised pores) on the branchlets....

18 / 11 / 2024 | Luyanda Bhengu | Free State NBG
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Aristea torulosa

Aristea torulosa
Common names: Wood’s aristea (Eng.); blousuurkanol (Afr.); khahla, lethepu-le-lenyenyane (Sesotho,); umluzi omncane (isiZulu); phayimashimane (siSwati)
Family: Iridaceae

A lovely, vibrant species of Aristea with striking, star-like, blue flowers that appear prolifically in summer....

25 / 11 / 2024 | Ofentse Naanyane | Free State NBG
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Aloe ecklonis

Aloe ecklonis
Common names: Ecklon’s aloe, grass aloe (Eng.), Ecklonse-aalwyn, vlei-aalwyn, grasaalwyn (Afr.), hloho-tsa-makaka, lekxalana, maroba lihale (Sesotho), isiphukuthw
Family: Asphodelaceae

Aloe ecklonis is a tough and beautiful succulent, that boasts striking rosettes of broad leaves and vibrant orange, yellow or salmon-pink flowers in summer,...

25 / 11 / 2024 | Lesego Maunatlala | Pretoria NBG
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Crinum lugardiae

Crinum lugardiae
Common names: veld swamplily, Lugard's crinum (Eng.); veldlelie (Afr.)
Family: Amaryllidaceae

Crinum lugardiae has a rosette of strap-shaped leaves, fragrant, bell-shaped white flowers with long thin floral tubes, in early summer, followed by strongly...

02 / 12 / 2024 | Linda Booysen | Walter Sisulu NBG
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Serruria dodii

Serruria dodii
Common names: Hex River spiderhead (Eng.), Hexrivier-spinnekopbossie (Afr.)
Family: Proteaceae

An upright shrub, often many-branched, that produces silver-pink, sweetly scented flowerheads at the tips of the branches, in spring....

02 / 12 / 2024 | Mashudu Nndanduleni | Kirstenbosch NBG
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Agathosma muirii

Agathosma muirii
Common names: Muir’s buchu, heart-leaf buchu (Eng.); Muir-boegoe (Afr.)
Family: Rutaceae

A hardy, aromatic and water-wise, white- to pink-flowering shrub which thrives in full sun, on limestone or sandy patches in fynbos vegetation....

09 / 12 / 2024 | Roger Oliver | Kirstenbosch NBG
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Pseudogaltonia clavata

Pseudogaltonia clavata plants in flower in habitat
Common names: desert coconut, desert hyacinth, osonanga lily, Namibian slangkop, Cape hyacinth, (Eng.); gifbol, groenlelie, slangkop, Namibia-slangkop (Afr.)
Family: Hyacinthaceae

The desert coconut (Pseudogaltonia clavata) is an impressive bulbous plant with tall spikes of drooping greenish white flowers, which add architectural...

09 / 12 / 2024 | Natasha Lombard | National Herbarium Pretoria
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Alepidea macowani

Alepidea macowani
Common names: Amathole alepidea, MacOwan’s alepidea (Eng.); kalmoes (Afr.); ikhatazo (isiZulu); inkatazo, iqwili (isiXhosa)
Family: Apiaceae

Alepidea macowanii is a robust, perennial herb known for its hollow, grooved, branched stem and thick, aromatic rootstock. It has basal leaves arranged...

16 / 12 / 2024 | Lungisani Zondi | Walter Sisulu NBG
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Geissorhiza ovata

Geissorhiza ovata
Common names: pink satin flower (Eng.); pienk satynblom (Afr.)
Family: Iridaceae

A dainty bulbous plant with white and pink flowers in spring, that blooms profusely after a fire....

16 / 12 / 2024 | Loretta Floors | Harold Porter NBG
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Morella pilulifera

Morella pilulifera
Common names: broad-leaved waxberry (Eng.); breëblaarwasbessie (Afr.); umbhemiso (isiZulu); maluleka, meluleka (siSwati); tshifhangwana (Tshivenda); nyamvura (Shon
Family: Myricaceae

Morella pilulifera is a multi-purpose shrub or small tree with yellowish-green leaves, catkin-like flowers and dense clusters of black berries along the...

23 / 12 / 2024 | Yolanda Nhlumayo | Walter Sisulu NBG
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Encephalartos humilis

Encephalartos humilis
Common names: dwarf cycad (Eng.); dwergbroodboom (Afr.); sijekwane (SiSwati)
Family: Zamiaceae

A small and inconspicuous, clump-forming, evergreen, dioecious, cone-bearing plant, arising from an underground stem, often growing wedged between low...

23 / 12 / 2024 | Mlondi Sikhosana | KwaZulu-Natal NBG
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